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Nduduzo Tshuma Political Editor
THE Professor Washman Ncube-led MDC’s standing committee met in Bulawayo at the weekend and confirmed party’s deputy secretary general Moses Mzila Ndlovu as the new secretary general taking over from Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga who resigned two weeks ago.

Misihairabwi-Mushonga resigned from the SG post to remain an ordinary party member in what is believed to be an escalation of her fall out with Prof Ncube over positions in the proposed new party to be formed when MDC and MDC Renewal merge.

Since the fallout, Misihairabwi-Mushonga has received insults on her Facebook wall from party youths led by secretary general Discent Collins Bhajila.

Following Misihairabwi-Mushonga’s resignation, there had been widespread celebrations with some sections of the party already backing some candidates to replace her.

The members were reportedly backing Misihairabwi-Mushonga’s deputy Moses Mzila Ndlovu to take over the post while others were rooting for director for strategy, planning and implementation Miriam Mushayi.

Party national spokesperson, Nhlanhla Dube, in a statement on Monday, said the standing committee had confirmed Mzila Ndlovu as provided for in their constitution.

“The NSC received a report on the resignation of the Secretary General of the party, Hon Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga, accepted and endorsed it,” said Dube.

He said the party noted that the former SG had resigned from her position and not from the political party and to that end the party would give support to Misihairabwi-Mushonga in the discharge of the various responsibilities where she remains deployed.

“The party further wishes to thank the former SG for the sterling work and commitment to the party in various functions, particularly her role in the GPA negotiations, as negotiator in the constitution making process, Jomic and in the GNU where she contributed immensely to the commencement of re-engagement of Zimbabwe with the international community,” said Dube.

“The NSC confirmed the Deputy Secretary General, Moses Mzila Ndlovu as Acting Secretary General with immediate effect, in keeping with the party’s constitution.”

Meanwhile, former MDC director for policy and research Dr Qhubani Moyo last week said Prof Ncube had freed himself from the manipulation of Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga by accepting her resignation as party secretary general.

Dr Moyo, who quit the MDC after the 2013 elections to pursue academia, said Prof Ncube had created a monster out of Misihairabwi–Mushonga — she did as she pleased leaving many wondering if the law professor was still in charge.

“Ncube is a really brilliant guy but has been incapacitated by the ransom behaviour of Misihairabwi-Mushonga,” said Moyo who is now a political analyst.

He said Misihairabwi-Mushonga had used a number of strategies to hold Ncube to ransom so that she could have things going her way in the party.

“The resignation by Misihairabwi-Mushonga has liberated Ncube and allows him to exercise his brilliance without hindrance. Priscilla has threatened to resign many times only for Ncube to come in and grant her wishes,” said Dr Moyo.

“She has used all forms of ransom mechanisms to subdue Ncube. What’s clear is that for some time, Ncube allowed Priscilla to be this monster that can’t be controlled and had too much power.

“It made Ncube lose grip and control of the party to an extent that Priscilla could do anything that she wanted.”

Dr Moyo said if Misihairabwi-Mushonga was genuine, she should step down from the Matabeleland South parliamentary seat she landed in the 2013 elections under the proportional representation format.

“You can’t resign from a senior position and central issues of the party and want to cling on to a junior post,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from Misihairabwi-Mushonga were fruitless but Dube said of Dr Moyo’s sentiments, “On the comments by Cde Qhubani Moyo, he has a democratic right to make that wrong observation.”